Plant-pathogen interaction studies on the Xanthomonas citri - Citrus sinensis pathosystem

• Grant number: 10/00634-1
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: April 01, 2010 - March 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal researcher: Celso Eduardo Benedetti
• Grantee: Celso Eduardo Benedetti
• Home Institution: Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron (LNLS). Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovações e Comunicações (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Citrus canker, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac), is an important disease that affects most commercial citrus varieties worldwide. We have been studying the interaction of Xac with sweet orange plants (Citrus sinensis) since 2004 employing three main approaches. In the first approach we aim at studying the structure and function of pathogen proteins implicated in canker development and of plant proteins involved in defense responses and symptom development. In a second approach, we are analyzing global gene expression to identify citrus genes associated with canker development and plant defenses against the pathogen. Finally, a third line of research aims at developing citrus plants resistant to the canker bacteria. We have previously identified a number of C. sinensis proteins that interacted with PthA, the principal pathogenicity factor of Xac known to modulate the plant transcriptome. The majority of these proteins are associated with transcriptional control, DNA repair and mRNA stabilization. In this proposal, we expect to characterize the function of two of these proteins, named Cyp e Maf1, which are implicated in the transcriptional control. Furthermore, we plan to identify citrus genes that are direct targets of PthAs from Xac as well as from Xanthomonas aurantifolii patotipo C (Xaa), trough microarray analyses. Finally, we plan to generate citrus plants resistant to Xac and to develop a protocol to perform RNAi in citrus plants to study the function of our genes of interest. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PEREIRA, ANDRE L. A.; CARAZZOLLE, MARCELO F.; ABE, VALERIA Y.; DE OLIVEIRA, MARIA L. P.; DOMINGUES, MARIANE N.; SILVA, JAQUELINE C.; CERNADAS, RAUL A.; BENEDETTI, CELSO E. Identification of putative TAL effector targets of the citrus canker pathogens shows functional convergence underlying disease development and defense response. BMC Genomics, v. 15, FEB 25 2014. Web of Science Citations: 22.

SOPRANO, ADRIANA SANTOS; ABE, VALERIA YUKARI; COSTA SMETANA, JULIANA HELENA; BENEDETTI, CELSO EDUARDO. Citrus MAF1, a Repressor of RNA Polymerase III, Binds the Xanthomonas citri Canker Elicitor PthA4 and Suppresses Citrus Canker Development. Plant Physiology, v. 163, n. 1, p. 232-242, SEP 2013. Web of Science Citations: 19.

DE SOUZA, TIAGO ANTONIO; SOPRANO, ADRIANA SANTOS; VIEIRA DE LIRA, NAYARA PATRICIA; CHRISTINO QUARESMA, ALEXANDRE JOSE; PAULETTI, BIANCA ALVES; PAES LEME, ADRIANA FRANCO; BENEDETTI, CELSO EDUARDO. The TAL Effector PthA4 Interacts with Nuclear Factors Involved in RNA-Dependent Processes Including a HMG Protein That Selectively Binds Poly(U) RNA. PLoS One, v. 7, n. 2 FEB 22 2012. Web of Science Citations: 19.

DE SOUZA‚ T.A.; SOPRANO‚ A.S.; DE LIRA‚ N.P.V.; QUARESMA‚ A.J.C.; PAULETTI‚ B.A.; LEME‚ A.F.P.; BENEDETTI‚ C.E. The TAL effector PthA4 interacts with nuclear factors involved in RNA-dependent processes including a HMG protein that selectively binds poly (U) RNA. PLoS One, v. 7, n. 2, p. e32305, 2012.